Draft gear



y I942- j kabam 2,282,17l

DRA FT GEAR Filed Dec.. 9, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Qlbert (3. Dean;

ATTORNEY May 15, 1942. ,A. s. DEAN 2,232,171

h miia unflnnmmwumnnmu F IG. 4

INVENTOR N bert 0. Dean.

ATTORNEY Patented May 5, 1942 DRAFT GEAR Albert G. Dean, Narberth, Pa., assignor to Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Company,

Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 9, 1939, Serial No. 308,351

6 Claims.

This invention relates to shock-absorbing or cushioning mechanism for railway cars, and more particularly to draft gear mechanism therefor; having for its principal object the provision of an improved draft and buif gear rigging embodying a simplified, more rugged and efficient mechanism.

Another object is to provide a draft gear arrangement incorporating certain desired improvements in the way of a draft gear pocket construction particularly adapted to resist deformation under operating stresses; and a coacting yoke mechanism of generally improved design and operating efficiency.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that various changes may be made in the scope of What is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the drawings wherein:

Figure l is a plan, sectional view of a draft gear pocket and coacting yoke assembly embodying the features of the invention, as operatively applied to the understructure of a railway car;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal, sectional view, taken on the line 22 of Figure 1, and on the longitudinal axis of symmetry thereof;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the yoke assembly removed from the draft gear pocket;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, with the oate corresponding parts in the several views of the preferred form of the invention, the numeral I2 designates the longitudinal center sill of a railway car, and I3 adjacent portions of its floor,

and to which a draft gear pocket or housing, I

designated generally at A, is connected.

The draft gear pocket A comprises longitudinally-extending and suitably reinforced side walls I4, I 5 which are preferably welded to adjacent portions of the underframe, as floor I3 and to the center sill I2, and includes bottom or yoke-supporting members I6 removably secured or bolted to the said side Walls, as at H.

Slidably guided within the draft gear pocket A and mounted on antifriction means or plates indicated generally at I8, which are fastened to the side walls I4, I5 and the removable bottom members I6, is a draft gear assembly. This assembly includes an oblong yoke I9 connected at its forward end with a coupling device designated generally at 20.

The coupling device 20, as best shown in Figures 2 and 10, includes an arcuate recess 2I formed in the outer end of the yoke I9, the said recess receiving the rounded periphery of a member 22 dovetailed with coacting means, .as at 23, provided on a draw bar 24 removably joined thereto by a coupling pin 25 and bushing 26. The sides of the yoke at its outer end are apertured to receive a pin 2'! and bushing 28, these latter being accommodated in a hole 29 provided in the member 22.

The yoke I9, in the vicinity of the arcuate recess 2I, is enlarged in width and depth, its top and bottom surfaces in that region being curved as at 3|, 32 (Fig. 10) The upper curved portions 3| are engageable against anti-friction means secured to the adjacent surfaces of yoke-spacing plates or members 33 which are fastened in any suitable manner to the reinforced side walls of the draft gear pocket A, as by the bolts and nuts 34. The bottom curved surfaces 32 of the yoke also engage anti-friction means fastened to the adjacent bottom members I6.

The body portion of the yoke I9 is formed with an elongated opening 35 through which a center abutment member or bulkhead '36 is transversely passed. the said abutment member being anchored to the side walls of the pocket by screw bolts 37 and nuts 31'. The center abutment 36, which is best shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 8, is essentially a truss-like member having its sides 38, 39 joined by an integral, central web 40 and also by a pair of opposed front and rear plates or members 4 I, 4!, these latter members in turn being reinforced by a plurality of webs or partitions 42, 43, 44 joined thereto and formed integrally with the central web 40.

Aligned holes formed in the webs 42, 43, 44 provide a passageway for the screw bolts 31, which, in conjunction with the nuts 37', are effective to prevent spreading and/or distortion of the side walls of the draft gear pocket A while loads in draft and buif are being applied.

Rearwardly directed extensions 45, 46 are integrally formed with the sides 38', 39 of the centre abutment and have their extremities normally in engagement with similar extensions 41, 48 integrally formed on the opposite sides of a rear bulkhead or abutment 49 which is riveted to the side walls I4, I5 of the pocket A and juxtaposed against or fastened to the adjacent end of the center sill I2.

The sides 38, 39 of the centre abutment 36 and its front plate 4I adjacent their junction, are recessed or cut away to accommodate vertically positioned, narrow wedges 5| which are permanently interposed between the adjacent surfaces of the centre abutment and narrow plates 53, 54 juxtaposed against the side walls I4, I5 of the draft gear pocket A, the plates 53, 54 being fastened to spacing or guide plates 55, 56. I

The rear abutment 49, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 6, is composed substantially of a casting somewhat U-shaped in plan, and comprising a rear or base plate 51 integrally formed with a pair of spaced box-sections 58, 59 which provide, in conjunction, a tapering recess therebetween adapted to accommodate the adjacent end of the yoke I9. The outer sides of the box sections 58, 59 are suitably fastened, as by the rivets 69, to the adjacent portions of the side walls I4, I5

I of the pocket A.

The elongated opening of the yoke I9 also accommodates a pair of spring cushions or resilient, shock-absorbing means C, D, each of which,

as depicted, maybe composed of a plurality of 63. One of these cushions is juxtaposed against I either side of the centre abutment 36.

The cushion C is interposed and compressed between the adjacent face of the front wall of the centre abutment and a front follower or plate 64, the latter having its outer face normally in engagement with the inner face of the front Wall or end of the yoke opening 35. In a corresponding fashion, the other end rear cushion D is compressed between the rear wall of the center abutment 36 and a rear follower or plate 65 juxtaposed against the inner face of the rear wall of the opening 35. As best shown in Figure 1, it will be understood that the mutual reaction between the rear cushion D and the front cushion C, through the intermediary of the movable yoke I9 and the center abutment 36, causes both of these cushions to be preloaded or in compressed condition.

The structural details composing the side walls I4, I5 of the draft gear pocket A and by which I9 and to assure it against deformation under maximum stresses developed during operation. In Fig. 10, for example, where the enlarged portion of the yoke I9 with its attached coupling mechanism 29 is shown as arranged between the yoke spacing plates 33,the side walls I4, I5 in this vicinity are each further reinforced by comparatively heavy, flanged plates 68. These plates 68, which also serve as the draft lugs referred to above, are provided with integral, spaced projections or flanges 69 to which channel plates lI', provided with the anti-friction means I8 mentioned above, are welded. In Figs. '1 and 9, other methods of further reinforcing the adjacent portions of the side walls I4, I5 of the draft gear pocket A are shown.

The car underframe construction shown herein in connection with the. draft gear of my in.- vention is more fully described and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 296,026 for Rail car underframe, filed September 22, 1939. e

The general functioning and mode of operation of the device has been in large measure.

indicated above, but may be summarized as follows:

Loads applied in draft via the coupling device 20 and the yoke I9 will cause the further compression of the rear cushion D against the fixed center abutment 36, as the said yoke and the rear or draft follower 65 moves outwardly in the draft pocket A. This last-referred to movement at the same time reduces the pressure of the front cushion C between the center abutment 36 and the front or bufi follower 64 as the latter, under the urge of the expanding cushion C, is permitted to move with the outwardly traveling yoke I9 until the said follower 64' abuts the draft lugs or plates 68. During the above-described operation, it will be observed that all parts are continuously in preloaded engagement, thereby cushioning the impact of the load while eliminating lost motion between the coacting parts.

When operating in buff, the compression of the front cushion C is increased as the yoke I9, in constant abutment with the front or buff follower 64, moves inwardly, thereby pressing the front cushion 0 against the center abutment 36. While the last-mentioned movement is takin place, the compression of the rear cushion D is progressively reduced as the rear or draft follower 65, under the bias of the cushion D moves in the direction of and with the inwardly traveling yoke I9, and until the said rear follower 65 engages the rear abutment 49. 'I-Iere again, it

will be seen that the continuous engagement of the buff and draft followers with their respective cushions C and D and adjacent parts of the yoke, eliminate lost motion and assure a quiet, efficient cushioning 'of the load.

The method of installing the draft gear assembly within the draft gear pocket A is as follows:

The bottom members I6 are unbolted and detached from the side walls I4, I5 after which the entire yoke assembly including the front and rear cushions C and D with their respective followers, is inserted from beneath. The cushions C and D, it is tobe understood, prior to the insertion in the pocket 35 'of the yoke I9, are placed under compression and consequently reduced in width by suitable clamping means, such as an arbor press, in order to facilitate'their entry into the said yoke pocket. The wedges 5| are next driven into the pockets provided between the adjacent portions of the center abutment 36 and the plates 53, 54 and permitted to remain permanently therebetween in order to assure a close fit of the parts. The bottom members I6 are then replaced and bolted to the side walls I4, I5, thereby placing the mechanism in condition for immediate use.

It is to be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attribute thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope ofthe invention; and it will be further understood that each and every novel feature and combination present in or possessed by the mechanism herein disclosed, forms a part of the invention included in this application.

What I claim is:

l. The combination with a draft gear pocket having its inner end wall closed by an end abutment directly engaging the outer end of the center sill, and its side Walls formed by extensions of said sill, of a draft gear subassembly including a yoke, a rigid transverse abutment extending through the yoke and adapted to be secured to the side walls of the pocket, and a pair of cushioning means, one for draft and one for buff, said cushioning means hearing at their adjacent ends against the transverse abutment and at their remote ends against the yoke each under initial compression, said subassembly being arranged to be assembled as a unit into said pocket, and when so assembled said rigid abutment extends from side to side of the pocket and is secured to said side Walls and further has means associated therewith extending along the sides of the pocket for transmitting the forces in buff directly to the end abutment and said center sill, thereby relieving the side Walls of the pocket from bending strains.

2. The combination with a draft gear pocket having its inner wall formed by an end abutment directly abutting the end of the center sill, and its side walls formed by extensions of said sill, said end abutment having lateral portions flanking said extensions and secured thereto, of a draft gear subassembly including a yoke, a rigid transverse abutment extending through the yoke and adapted to be secured to the side walls of the pocket, and a pair of cushioning means, one for draft and one for buif, said cushioning means bearing at their adjacent ends against the abutment, and at their remote ends against the yoke each under initial compression, said subassembly being arranged to be assembled as a unit into said pocket and when so assembled, said rigid abutment extends from side to side of the pocket and is secured to the sides thereof and has lateral portions directly abutting the lateral portions of the end abutment, whereby forces in buif are directly transmitted to the end abutment and center sill without imposing bending strains upon the side walls.

3. The combination with a draft gear pocket having its inner wall formed by an end abutment directly abutting the end of the center sill and its side walls formed by extensions of said sill, said end abutment having a central recess facing the pocket and lateral portions flanking said extensions and secured thereto, of a draft gear subassembly including a yoke, a rigid transverse abutment extending through the yoke and adapted to be secured to the side walls of the pocket, and a pair of cushioning means, one for draft and one for buff, said cushioning means bearing at their adjacent ends against said abutment and at their remote ends against said yoke, said subassembly being arranged to be assembled as a unit into said pocket with the inner end of the yoke extending into the recess in said end abutment and the rigid transverse abutment extending from side to side of the pocket and secured to the side walls, the lateral portions of the last-named abutment having portions directly abutting the lateral portions of the end abutment when so assembled, whereby forces in buff are directly transmitted from the transverse abutment to the end abutment and center sill, the recess in said end abutment providing clearance for the movement of the yoke when under buffing forces.

4. The combination with a draft gear pocket including a support and having its inner end wall closed by an end abutment directly abutting the end of the center sill, and its side Walls formed by extensions of said sill, said end abutment having lateral portions flanking and secured to said side walls, and plates longitudinally spaced from said lateral portions and secured to the side walls, of a draft gear subassembly held in the pocket by said support and including a yoke, a rigid transverse abutment extending through the yoke and adapted to be secured to the side walls of the pocket and a pair of cushioning means, one for draft and one for bull, said cushioning means bearing at their adjacent ends against the transverse abutment and at their re mote ends against the yoke, said subassembly being arranged to be assembled as a unit into said pocket with the transverse abutment extending from side to side and loosely received at each side between the adjacent portion of the end abutment and the adjacent end of the plate, and wedges driven in final assembly between the transverse abutment and said plates for causing said transverse abutments to solidly abut both the lateral portions of said end abutments and said plates, whereby draft and bufiing forces may be transmitted therethrough. I

5. The combination with a draft gear pocket having its inner wall closed by an end abutment directly engaging the outer end of the center sill and its side walls formed by extensions of said sill, of a draft gear subassembly including a yoke, a rigid transverse abutment extending through the yoke and adapted to be secured to the side walls of the pocket, and a pair of cushioning means, one for draft and one for buff, said cushioning means bearing at their adjacent ends against the abutment and at their remote ends against the yoke each under initial compression, said subassembly being arranged to be assembled as a unit into said pocket, and when so assembled the rigid abutment extends from side to side of the pocket and is removably secured to said side walls by transverse bolts, the lateral portions of the abutment being extended fore and aft by solid columnar structures for transmitting buff and draft forces directly to the end abutment and center sill or to its extensions without caus- I ing localized bending of the side Walls of the pocket.

6. In a rail car draft r ging, the combination with a draft gear pocket structure, an abutment arranged in the pocket intermediate the ends thereof, a yoke embracing said abutment, and resilient means normally under partial compression and constantly exerting pressure between said abutment and the yoke at each load side of the abutment, of rigid means extending along opposite sides of the pocket therein from said abutment to longitudinal spaced abutment means of said structure and means for tightly wedging said intermediate abutment against said rigid means to provide solid columnar structures at the opposite sides of the pocket for transmitting the heavy forces to which the yoke is subjected in use from said intermediate abutment to one or the other of said spaced abutment means depending on whether the yoke is subjected to draft or buffing forces.

ALBERT G. DEAN. 

